Quanzhou 🇨🇳

There's no joke when it comes to Quanzhou that they call it "Heaven of food". I grew up w a little bit of Hakka/Minnan dishes. It is the only region that i can communicate in Minnan as i grew up speaking it, which is very exciting. I arrived early from KMG and headed down to Kuanyu temple which has a very lovely sight despite the heat. My body had a little adjustment due to coming from Yunnan ( mountain area ) back to the city which ranges 30+°C. I walked around the west/east side street which have a lot of food stalls. To quench the thirst, i stopped by AUNTEA JENNY and ordered myself a mango drink which is super super refreshing and delicious 😋 I've also stumbled onto 1 restaurant which is serving Minnan food and I grew up with it so yes I'm very excited! I ordered rice that was cooked in chicken oil & bakkien ( meat roll with tofu skin ) and also Kumquat & lime juice. It is nostalgic . When the dawn of course the street bustling with lots of people. I mean people everywhere. The market itself give the sense like I am in Taiwan ( even i never been there ), but from all the foods around me I can assure you 80% is Taiwan dishes. Especially STINKY TOFU! The first snack i went was Beef offals which is contains beef balls, innards & skins. It is absolutely delicious! Almost remind me w "TOKTOK" from Medan which i missed out when i was there 😭 After the first hearty bowl of soup , off i go for my next hunt. I bought a green grapes juice ( which apparently very popular in this area). I also walked around little alley and found this freshly made Taro cake. It is still warm. I've ordered a cheese filling & a mochi filling. Mannn i tell ya, the best one i ever have and I'm addicted! I went back the next day and the owner recognised me🥹🥹 Lastly on my way back i bought crispy chicken and few meat pastry this time i bought beef & pork ( it is the same like the one on yunnan ) - but the flavour not exactly the same, i prefers the one from Yunnan. The following day i went to Qingyuan mountain, do a hike which is very very tiring with the heat. I was literally drenched in my own sweat 😂😅 but the view is amazing. After the hiking, I decided to stroll the market one more time and had dinner. "Ginger Duck" is the popular dish here in Quanzhou or should I say Fujian region. Then I also stumble this pancake that looks like "Martabak Manis" from Indonesia. The tastes really similar, only a little thin compared w Martabak. At the end of the night I got ice-cream w "Peach Jasmine Oolong tea" flavour. Yummmm!!! They also gives a little chocolate plaque that says Quanzhou. So cute 🥺 Followin day I went to Quanzhou Safari Zoo. I get to see most of the animal freely roaming even though it is in the cage! but absolutely bigger than Beijing Zoo and doesn't look miserable at least. I went into the aviary cage with has a lottttt of free range aviaries. Guess what?? PEACOCKKK!!!! LOTS OF IT!!! I am sooo happy get to encounter that closely to the peacock 🥺 they are beautiful creatures. All animals in this zoo seems happier compared with Beijing Zoo. They have place to roamed around and look so much healthier. Don't get me start w Beijing Zoo. It was the most depressing zoo i ever been apart from in Manila. It is sad to see how they didn't look after the animal equally. I went to Xun'pu village, which they said "Fisherman village". Truedat. Lots of boat, by the river/bay. There are grannies just sitting on the side of the road and assembling fresh flowers as a headpiece which is a staple Minnan culture. Quanzhou isn't a place for sightseeing. There's not much to do there apart from food. But, I quite enjoyed the trip!